Lumbar Radiculopathy (Sciatica)

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body..

What is the Sciatic nerve?

Often, sciatica affects one side of the body, not both. The sciatica symptoms experienced vary depending on the location of the nerve compression. Doctors help to locate the origin of the nerve compression in order to properly treat sciatica pain.The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in our bodies traveling down the lower back, hip, buttocks and the back of the leg down to the foot.
What are common Sciatica symptoms?

Due to the location of the sciatic nerve, certain activities such as prolonged sitting and quick movements may increase sciatica pain.
For some individuals Sciatica pain may be bearable yet irritating, while for others it may be severe and debilitating. Sciatica causes pain, a burning sensation, numbness, or tingling radiating from the lower back and upper buttock down the back of the thigh to the back of the leg. The result is lumbar pain, buttock pain, hip pain, and leg pain. Sometimes the sciatic pain radiates around the hip or buttock to feel like hip pain.
Common symptoms of sciatica are:
- Pain on one side of the buttock or in one leg that becomes worse when sitting
- Burning or tingling down the leg
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty in moving the leg or foot
- A constant pain on one side of the posterior
- A sharp pain that may make it difficult to stand or walk
At Alleviate, our doctors are highly experienced in providing non surgical sciatica treatments over the course of a few weeks to a few months depending on the severity of your sciatic pain. Our group of doctors includes Spine Specialist and Pain Management Specialists. Fortunately, sciatic nerve pain can be relieved by combining physical therapy, muscle strengthening, manual therapy and other specialized techniques. In severe cases, sciatica may require surgery due to severe nerve pain.
Sciatica Testing and Diagnosing Tools
Our Sciatica doctors at Alleviate will consult with you, review your health history and perform a physical exam. They may also request imaging to locate the origin of your sciatica pain to better treat you. Our goal is to treat your sciatica pain using interventional treatments to avoid sciatica surgery. Sciatica diagnosis and testing includes:
1. physical examination
2. Imaging modalities like MRI
What do I do next?

If you are experiencing any of the sciatica symptoms above and think you may have Sciatica, consult immediately with a doctor. By diagnosing the area and degree of pain, specialists can provide the right level of treatment for your sciatica.

At Alleviate, our team of doctors includes Spine Specialists and Pain managemennt specialists. There are multiple non-surgical Sciatica treatment options available at Alleviate.